from Ares
for Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)
Panaji, Jul 8: Goa's group of environmentalists have documented a rare species of snake – the 'Olive Forest Snake' (Rhabdops olivaceus) in the Chorla Ghats area of the Mahdei region of North Goa, 65 kms from here.
The Olive Forest Snake is a non-venomous semi-aquatic snake that is found in hill forests of the Western Ghats and is an endemic to India. Nocturnal in nature, the feeding habits and behaviour of this species are poorly known and the range extension is also very sketchy.
"An Olive brown coloured snake with black spots along the body length, the Olive Forest Snake is a slender bodied snake with smooth scales and a thin tail. The specimen measured eleven inches in length and was found in leaf litter in broad daylight, in a mixed moist deciduous forest patch at 750 meters above sea level," environmentalist Nirmal Kulkarni, who was the part of research group, said.
He said that the specimen was in good health condition and was observed to have recently shed its skin too.
According to the environmentalists, the earlier records of this snake include only from very few localities in the Western Ghats- Wynad in Kerala, Kadur and Castle Rock in Karnataka and Koyna in Maharashtra.
"These findings have been reported to the Indian Herpetological Society for information," he said.
The findings has added yet another species to the diversity list of snake species in the Mahdei region.
The snake was documented by a team of wildlife researchers including Nirmal Kulkarni, herpetologist and volunteers Rupesh Gaonkar and Sushma Gaonkar who are working under the guidance of Rajendra Kerkar in the region.
"The specimen was released into the wilds after scale count data, measurements and photo documentation was completed," Kerkar said.
The researchers have appealed to the people of Goa and the Government to realize the importance of these forests as a haven for lesser known species and take immediate measures to conserve the region which is threatened by interstate water diversion projects, large scale monoculture plantations and renewed efforts of mining.